William Skelton (1763–1848)

• Was an English engraver.
• He was born in London, the brother of the engraver Joseph Skelton.

• He studied in the schools of the Royal Academy, and was a pupil first of James Basire and later of William Sharp.

• Skelton resided for many years at Stafford Place, Pimlico, London, and afterwards in Upper Ebury Street, where he died on 13 August 1848.

• For fifty years he served on the committee of the Female Orphan Asylum. 

• Skelton was employed on the illustrations of many of the fine publications of the day: John Boydell's Shakespeare, Thomas Macklin's Bible, Robert Bowyer's edition of David Hume's History of England, John Sharpe's British Classics, Lord Macartney's Embassy to China, 1797.

• Skelton is best known for his portraits of contemporary notabilities, mainly from pictures by Sir William Beechey.

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